Annunciator.



No. 882,118. P'I'ENTED MAR. 17,1908.

J. T. NBBDHAM.

ANNUNGIATUR.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 27. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATBNTBD MAR. 17, 1908 J. T. NEEDHAM.

ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 27, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 MIUE -munmmhl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. NEEDHAM, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNO it OF ONE-IIALI `-TO POSTAL TELF- GRAPH-OABLE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A (TORPORATION OF NEW YORK..

ANNUNCIATOR.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 1'7, 1908.

Application filed May 27, 1907. Serial No. 375,767.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. N EEDHAM, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident ot' the city ot Bayonne, county ot' Hudson, State of New Jersey, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Annunciators, oi which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electro-magnetic apparatus for indicating a change in the normal condition of an electric circuit.

The object of this invention is to provide an annunciator or indicating device that shall be effective from both sides of a telephone switchboard or operating table and to combine with such indicator, spring jack switch connections so arranged that the insertion of a plug from either side ol the board or partition shall restore the indicator to its normal condition and to provide for operating a second or auxiliary signal, audible or visual, by the changed indication ol the annunciator. Great benefit would result from the use of this type ot' annunciator in tele hone exchanges as the telephone circuit wou d be available at both the rear and the front ot' the switchboard thus reducing the size of the sections and also allowing two operators to work on one section simultaneously without interfering with each other.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one arrangement of the invention applied to an operating table.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section Fig. 2 is a section through the line A, B, Fig. l, showing the plug sockets and contact points of the spring ack, Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section at right angles to Fig. l Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the line O, I), Fig. l; Fig. '5 is an elevation ot the annunciator showing the plug socket; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the annunciator showing a plug in position; Fig. 7 is a plan view of a row of annunciators on the partition separating opposite sides ol a quartet table and Fig. S is a side elevation of part ol the same.

There is a trame f otinsulating material such as strips of vegetable iber or a casting 0i insulating compound such as electrose. An electro-magnet m having pole pieces p is fixed in the frame these pole pieces are angular and the armature a is lixed on a vertical spindle 8 journaled in the brass block b iiXed in the frame A circular block i has iixed to it or integral with it a target or semaphore t which may bear a card. with the number olI the circuit; at right angles to this target on the lower side ol" the block t is a broad, l'lat projection n of insulating inaterial iixed to the block t, this is perforated at its center to receive thespindle 8 to which it is lixed by means of a pin 12. The spindle s is lixed to the armature and is preferably rotary to the extent ol about one uarter rotation. The spindle is retracted y the coiled spring 20, one end of which is iixed to the spindle, the other end being `fixed to a pin 21 l'ast in block b. In the type shown, when the armature a with semaphore t is in a closed circuit position the pole pieces p, p, exert a turning eii'ort on armature L and the semaphore t is in the position shown in Fig. l l/Vhen the magnet is denergized the semaphore is turned by the tension ol the spring at right angles to the position shown. The brass block l) besides forming a bearing l'or the spindle s forms the frame for two spring jack sockets and 7c, see Fig. 2, which are bored as shown from opposite ends and upon opposite sides ol the spindle 8.

3() and 31 are two metal springs iixed to the frame f by screws 32, 33, respectively. Spring 30 engages a contact point 34 on the block Z); 35 is a contact point on the opposite side oi block l) with which spring 3l engages. The main circuit enters via 3G and passes to spring 30, to point S4, through block i) and pin 35 to spring 31 thence via 43, coils oi' magnet fm, 37, to screw posts 3S, and return wire 29. When a double contact ack plug (j is inserted, sce Fig. (3, one contact oi the plug engages with the trame formed oi the block b and the other contact ol the plug (j lilts the spring 3() or El from its contact and thereby includes the apparatus with which the plug (j is connected in thc circuit. l/Vhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l, the normal position, the projection n connected with the semaphore t through block 'i lies parallel and between the plug sockets 7i and j. lvhen the parts are in the indicating positionas shown in Fig. 3, the circuit having been broken or changed as regards its normal electrical condition, the projection n lies across the plug sockets 7c and y' and a plug inserted in either 7c or engages the projection at one side of its supporting spindle 8 and rotates the spindle thus resetting the annunciator by the act of inserting the plug, and this resetting operation may take place from either side of the instrument.

In Figs. 7 and S there is shown the well known arrangement oi' quartet table commonly employed in the operating rooms of the large telegraph systems. On each division of the table there is a set of telegraph instruments composed of a relay 40, key 41 and sounder 42 operated by the relay through a local circuit of well known arrangement. The

key and relay is connected to a llexible cord c which terminates in a jack plug q. On top of the wall or partition dividing the table is a row of annunciators e, like that described, vertically arranged. Each is included in a separate telegraph circuit d, these circuits are led to the annunciators through cables hv in a well -known manner. When the normal electric condition of any one of these circuits d isA changed in a predetermined manner, as by varying the current, or the normal condition of the circuit, the annunciator responds and the operator on either one side or the other of the table plugs into the jack, and thus resets the annunciator, answers the call and then withdraws the plug.

ln addition to the visual indication of the semaphore t there is also employed an alarm circuit 50, Fig. 1, containing an electro-magnetic bell of any known arrangement and construction connected with the circuit 50 in series with a source orn electricity. There is a circuit closer carried by the circular block i, this consists of ka helical expansion spring 53 in a cylindrical perforation extending through the circular block 'i on the line of a diameter. 54 and 55 are two polished metal balls of too great diameter to be forced out of the cylindrical bore at its contracted terminals. Vhen the block i is in the position shown circuit passes through the contacts 51 and 52 and through the balls 54 and 55 and the spring 53 whereby the circuit is completed; when the semaphore is restored to Anormal position the circuit is broken at a point between the lballs and the contacts 51 and 52, respectively. f

/Vhat l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln an annunciator the combination of a suitable semaphore, a rotatable support therefor, an electro-magnet controlling said support, a pair of spring jacks opening from opposite sides and means whereby theinsertion of a jack plug sets the semaphore.

2. In an annunciator the combination of a suitable semaphore, a rotatable support therefor, an electro-magnet controlling said support, a pair of spring jacks opening upon different sides, and means whereby the insertion of a jack-plug in either opening restores the semaphore.

3. The combination in an annunciator of an indicatingdevice, an electro-magnet, a pair of spring-jacks opening in different directions and means whereby the insertion of a jack plug in either spring jack resets the indicator.

4. The combination with a suitable switching apparatus of an annunciator consisting of an indicating device, a controlling magnet and a circuit closer for an alarm circuit, said circuit closer consisting of a pair of fixed contacts, a pair of balls, a coiled expansion spring between said balls and a device iixed to said indicator for holding the balls and spring in iixed position with respect to each other.

5. ln an annunciator the combination of a suitable semaphore, a vertical rotating support therefor, a controlling magnet, a retracting spring for the support, a spring jack in close proximity to the support and a projection on the support moving in the-path of the spring jack plug.l

6. ln an annunciator the combination of a suitable semaphore, a vertical rotating support therefor, a controlling magnet, a retracting spring for said support, a spring ack in close proximity to the support and a projection on the support in the path of the, springk jack plug.

7. In an annunciator the combination of a suitable semaphore, a rotating4 suppjorttherefor, a controlling magnet, a retractiiigjspring for the support, a pair of spring jacks'in close proximity to the support on dii-ferent Ysides thereof opening in opposite directions, a projection on the support extending in opposite directions, the opposite sides, or edges being in the path of the two springack plugs, respectively. e

8. In an annunciator the combination of a semaphore or drop, an electric circuit, an

electro-magnet and means to cut into the circuit Jfrom two 'or more sides of the annunciator and simultaneously reset the semaphore or drop.

JOHN T. NEEDHAM.

Vitnesses HENRY G. FRIrsoI-IE, A. M. DoNLEvY. 

